“Sugar Skull” Cat Halloween Printables

Today’s post will walk you through how to use a set of Halloween printables to make three different projects! From candy packets to Halloween cards to artwork for display, you can choose how to punctuate your holiday with creativity.

I love how embellished sugar skulls have seeped over from Día de los Muertos into Halloween decor and costumes. It’s hard not to admire a colorful sugar skull design! With that in mind, I wanted this year’s set of Halloween printables to call back to the sugar skull tradition. The subject of the illustration featured in the printables is a cat — an animal long associated with Halloween — and a sugar skull-inspired design!

This “sugar skull” kitty — shown here as a work in progress — was created using a Nikko G nib, sumi ink, and a significant amount of patience!

I used this illustration to make three different Halloween printables for you, which you can find by clicking here. In this blog post, I’ll show you how to use these printables to punctuate your Halloween with some artistic personality!

1. Candy Packet Halloween Printables

If you’re handing out candy this year, consider providing candy packets to trick-or-treaters! Candy packets help you to control the portions that you provide, and they offer an element of surprise — who knows what treats are inside?

These candy packets lend an element of elegance to the trick-or-treating experience. Their assembled size is approximately 4″ x 5″, or 102 mm x 127 mm.

To make them, print out the Halloween candy packet printable from the Printable “Sugar Skull” Halloween Cat Illustrations packet. Feel free to print the design out on any paper that you want to; from regular printer paper to cardstock, anything will work! Once you print out the design, cut it out along the guidelines.

Once you cut out the design along the gray guidelines, your candy packet will look like this.

Next, fold the two side flaps backward and glue them to each other. Fold the bottom flap backward as well and glue it to the side flaps.

Glue the side flaps in first, then glue the bottom flap to the side flaps.

Fold the top flap in order to make a crease, then restore the flap to its original position. Stuff the packet with candy, and secure it shut with a piece of washi tape (or — better yet — a wax seal!).

It’s important to establish a crease in the top flap before you put the candy into the packet! By doing so, you’ll ensure that the flap folds down easily even if the packet is stuffed.

And voilà! All of a sudden, you’re the most artistic and creative neighbor on the block.

Assembly of these candy packets can get tedious if you’re by yourself and you plan on making a lot of them, so try to enlist help from family or friends!

2. Happy Halloween Sugar Skull Cat Card

If you like to send Halloween greetings through the mail, give this sugar skull cat card a try! It’s easy, unique, and elegant.

First, print out the 3″x7″ sugar skull cat illustration (find it here) onto a piece of cardstock. Then, fold the left side of the paper backward such that the crease is about 1/4″ (~6 mm) from the cat’s tail.

The back of your paper should look like this:

Once you’ve folded your paper, use scissors to cut out the cat. Leave about 1/4″ of space around him! Make sure your scissors cut through the folded paper as well, and don’t cut the seam from the cat’s back foot to the bottom of his tail.

3. Halloween Artwork or Coloring Page

Of the three projects detailed in this post, this is the most straightforward! Simply print out the 8″x10″ sugar skull cat illustration, then use your favorite medium to add color to it.

I like using colored pencils to give this cat some color! Colored pencils make it easy to be precise.

Once you finish coloring, you can frame the piece and display it as part of your Halloween décor!

This illustration will fit beautifully in an 8″x10″ frame; just cut it out along the gray guidelines!

I hope that you enjoy these Halloween printables! I absolutely loved creating them, so it will be my pleasure if you’re able to put them to good use. 🙂 For additional Halloween-themed inspiration, you may be interested in these tutorials, posts, and/or printables from years past:

Welcome to The Postman’s Knock

I'm Lindsey Bugbee

designer + illustrator + calligrapher

The Postman's Knock is a blog focused on teaching creative techniques and offering guides to learning modern calligraphy and illustration. I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it!

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Wow I am not too much into Halloween, but I must say that this cat is a beauty. I love the idea of using this for candy packets for the kids. Thanks so much for your hard work and generosity in sharing it with us. Linda E…….